Combined heel and arch support for footwear



Sept. 17, 1929 T R 1,728,536

COMBINED HEEL AND ARCH SUPPORT FOR FOOTWEAR Filed Aug. 1'7, 1927 WTNESSES v IJVYENTOR:

I 11 ZZL/fl.&a1 %mr, W a A W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE nanny A. oan'mna,or nnoon n, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR or own-m1- ro noun .1. cmrnnrn, 1a., ornnnxm. HILL, rnnnmvam COMBINED HEEL AND ARCH SUPPORT FOR FOOTWEARApplication filed August 17, 1927. Serial No. 218,451.

This invention relates to footwear embodying means affording su port atthe instep for the wearers feet, where y falling or lowering of thearches is scientifically prevented. More specifically my presentimprovements contemplate a combined heel and arch support, preferably ofresilient material, that isdurable and highly eflicient for the purposeshad in new. H

An object of my invention is to rovide a combined heel and arch supportw ich cor"- rectly sustains the longitudinal and transverse arches ofthe wearers foot-at all times from the ground upwardly while at the sametime properl "cushioning the heel.

Another 0 ject is the rovision of novel means, that will scientiliballysupport the wearers ,foot under all normal conditions, while accordingfree natural movement for the several foot bones; that preserves'theoriginal curvature of footwear shanks relative to the sole portionthereof; and which prevents formation ofconcavities or otheriiregularities in the inner sole portion that conduce to the developmentof weak, delicate, and

flat feet.

Other objects and advantages will be manifest from the followingdetailed explanation of my invention, which, when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings illustrates a practicalembodiment thereof; while the appended claims define those featuresalleged as novel and patentable.

In the drawings Fig. I is an underside plan view of a shoe for masculinewear embodying one form of my invention.

Fig. II is a side view of the same, with a portion of the upper removedfor convenience in illustration.

Fig. III is a transverse section, taken as indicated by the arrowsIII-III in Fig. I; an

Fig. IV is a similar sectional view on the planeIdesignated by thearrows IVIV in Fi fieferring more particularly to Figs. IIV of thedrawings, a conventional shoe is comprehensively designated by thenumeral 6, the same comprising an upper 7, and sole 8; to

which my novel combined heel and arch supporting device, generallydenominated 9, is

Pplfied and secured, as hereinafter fully set ort This combined device9, is preferably made of suitable resilient material such as rubber,leather, or any other appropriate composition useful in the art; and, 1tembodies-in a unitary structure-the heel 10 with a forwardly directedarch supporting portion 11, effective to scientifically sustain thelongitudinal and transverse arches of the wearers foot. The supportinportion 11, it is to be particularly remarke extends, when applied tothe shoe sole 8, by virtue of its novel unconstrained configurationinside of the middle of the heel 10, forwardly under, the inner aspectof the wearers foot, with its bearing surface 12 offset suificientl fromthe longitudinal center line of the slZoe 6, to correctly sustain thearticulation of the astragalus and scaphoid bones; as well asvthemetatarsalphalanx articulation of all the toes substantially flush withthe heel.10 and ball 13 of the shoe, even when off the ground.Particular attention is directed to the fact that the supporting portion11, of the device 9, is

of somewhat fish-tail outline in plan, and that it normally-or beforeattachment to the shoe (i-extends colanar with the top of the heel 10.In o't er words, the ground engaging surface thereof gradually taperssomewhat arcuately upwards from the point of mergence 14 with the heeltread to the relatively wider knife-edge 15, where it joins the shoesole 8 transversely in the region of the ball 13. .Furthermore,-thefish-tail portion is slightly tapered transversely, from a high point16- adjacent the inner border edge of the shoe sole 8, gradually down toa low polnt 17 merging into the outer border edge of said sole, wherebythe weight of the body is firmly sustained from the inner to the outerside of the foot withoutany'st'rain upon the transverse arch. I

The supporting portion 11, it is also to be noted, aligns snugly withthe inner border edge of the shoe shank 18, whereat it is convenientlymolded as indicated by the l1ne shading19-Fig. I. On the other hand, the

outer side 20 of the portion 11 is spaced relative to the outer borderedge 21, of the shank 18; or, more specifically-and as best appreciatedfrom Fig. Ithe side 20 gradually sweeps inwardly from the heel 10 to thebend 22 of the fish tail, where it flares sharply outword to theknife-edge 15, above referred to. a

In some instances-such as when it is desired to provide the shoe 6 witha rubber sole 8-the device 9 may be built up of laminae and integrallyunited to the sole 8 by vulcanizing; or, when of leather, the severallifts may be secured together by brads in the known manner.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the provision of the heel10 with an integral arch supporting portion 11, (lo-extensive with theshoe shank inner border edge to the region of the sole ball 13, withsaid portion on an angular turn and following the transverse pedismuscle, that it will sustain the entire longitudinal and transversearches. In other words, I provide a correct support for themetatarsal-phalanx articulations from the fifth or little toe, to thatof the big toe. Also, it is noteworthy that the support 11 graduatesfrom substantially nothing at the outer side or edge of the shoe sole 8,to an elevation of about one-eighth of an inchfor example-on the inneredge thereof, in the region of the ball 13; and similarly the portion,11 gradually increases in thickness from its frontal knife edgerearwards till merging into the heel tread.

From the preceding description, it is thought, my invention will be wellunderstood; while the right is hereby reserved to make such variationsin shape, as are'neccs-' sary to adapt ther same to difiering styles offootwear, without departing from the generic aspect of said invention,the scope whereof is encompassed by the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. As'an article ofmanufacture a support embodying a heel portion with a forwardlydirectedsection adapted to correctly sustain the longitudinal and transversearches of the human foot, said section before application to a shoeextending co-planar with the top of the heel butwhen applied theretobeing flexed downward from a point inside of the middle of the heelforward under the inner region of the ball, with its bearing surfaceextending sufficiently from each side of the longitudinal center torepose under and support the articulation of the astragalus and scaphoidbones, as well as the metatarsal phalanx articulations of all the toes.

2. As an article of manufacture a support for footwear embodying a heelwith a forwardly-extending fish-tail section initially having its uppersurface co-planar with the top of the heel and its" ground engaging facein thickness from a high point adjacent the inner marginal edge to a lowpoint adjoining the outer marginal edge of the foot Wear sole. 3. As anarticle of manufacture a support for foot-wear embodying a heel with afor: wardly directed prolongation initially having its upper surfaceco-planar with the top of said heel but when downwardly flexedconforming to the shank of the foot wear to which it is applied, saidprolongation comprising a body portion of substantially even thiclmessdesigned to sustain the inner part of the foot arch, and a fish-tailspread tapered down longitudinally as well as transversely outwards tomerge into the footwear sole at-that region known as the ball, so as tocorrectly sustain the metatarsal phalanx articulation of the foot withcapacity for natural movement at all times.

4. As a new article of manufacture a com- 1 abined heel and arch supportfor shoes, the arch support being of fish-tail outline having its uppersurface initially co-planar with the top of the heel and the fin portionadapted when downwardly flexed to merge into a shoe sole at that regionknown as the ball, said fin portion conforming alon its inner edge tothat of the shoe shank wit its outer edge spaced relative to the outerborder edge of said shank with an inward sweep intermediate the heelportion and fish-tail bend, said arch supporting portion taperingdownwardly outwards from a high point on the inner side thereof so as tocorrectly sustain the metatarsal phalanx articulations at all times.

5. As a new article of manufacture an arch support for foot wearembodying a heel and

